Happy Thoughts - Alt Ending
by AerysUniverses
Summary: I wanted to write something cute and possibly bittersweet for Valentines Day right at the beginning of the year, so I made this - an alternate possibility to the 'Sayori's Death' scenario. Also, for the sake of simplicity and literary reasons, MC will be going by the name I gave him in my play through of DDLC - Aery Hope you like this, and Happy Valentines Day!


I gently open the door.

It was dark. The curtains were shut, blocking out the light, but somehow... I knew. I think I heard it before I saw it. The creaking sound of taut rope. Still, in hopes of it just being my imagination playing sick tricks on my, I began to say her name. "...Sayo-" When my eyes adjusted to the thick, suffocating darkness, already watering from the proven assumption, I couldn't help but let out a strangled scream.

It was Sayori... She'd hung herself.

My stomach churned and bubbled, threatening to bring up the little I'd had for breakfast, but I fought it off and swallowed before it had a chance to come up. I couldn't tear my eyes away from her and her glassy, lifeless blue eyes. Thoughts slowly buzzed numbly through my head, thoughts which gradually became more and more insistent, near deafening even.

'Why?'

'How could she do this?'

'Did I do something wrong?'

'What could I have done to prevent this?'

'How could I be such a horrible friend and just left her!?'

'How could I break my damned promise!?'

Thoughts, all just as poisonous, flooded my mind. My knee's, now shaking from the grief and self-loathing swirling inside of me, finally gave way. Down to the floor I tumbled, knee's first, staring up at by best friend's corpse. By now, I was sobbing openly, my hands clutched together tightly against my chest. My choked sobs echoed throughout the dark room, thinking of all the ways this could've been prevented.

But if there was one thing I would have done differently...

I'd have gone to wake her up.

"AAH!"

I jolted upright in my bed, sweat rolling across my body and my heart crashing against my chest. My eyes stung from the still cascading tears, wetting my sweaty face more. My breathing, ragged and coarse, slowly began returning to a normal level as realisation set in.

It was just a dream.

I wiped my eyes furiously and swiftly jumped out of bed, worried thoughts rushing through my head. I had to hurry. I had to quickly wash, get changed, and go to her. I can't fail her.

Not anymore.

I showered as quickly as humanely possible, dried myself just as quickly, and was dressed and out the door with a half eaten sandwich within 30 minutes. It felt too slow though, and I realise I could've just wiped away my sweat with a towel and used lots of deodorant and aftershave.

I rammed the last of my messily made sandwich into my mouth as I approached her door, barely chewing it before I swallowed it. I had to pause for a second so I didn't choke on it.

Opening the door, I just barely head the sound of something tumbling from upstairs, and my eyes widen in horror. "SAYORI!" I desperately cried, speeding up the stairs and bursting into her room. There she is, just like in my dream. Except for one thing.

Her blue eyes aren't empty. Their filled with sadness, desperation and regret. I rush into action, discarding my usual barriers when with girls and grab her with both arm's around her legs and lift her up. It's at times like these I'm so glad I'm tall.

A loud gasp escapes her as the pressure of her weight was finally released from her throat, and she gulps down the air like it's water.

Being as careful as possible, I begin shifting around, aiming to have her sitting on my shoulders so she can remove the noose. It takes a bit of time, but after a good 7 minutes we manage to make it happen.

I gently let her slip down and onto the floor, turning around so I can sit in front of her. There was one question on my lips, as I looked her over carefully - looking at the redness around her neck and her fingers. One question only.

"Sayori... Why?" My voice cracked, and already I can feel my sore eyes watering and by dry throat clenching. She looked away from me, ashamed. "I... I'm sorry." She hoarse replied, like she herself had been crying before she... Tried. "I-I don't know what came over me, I just... It was s-so scary!"

"I woke up this morning, a-and everything hurt! It felt like my head was trying to constrict my heart, and like everything was painful and numb and spiralling away from me!" She hiccuped, fat tears starting to roll down her now only pale face. "I-It felt like I could j-j-just disappear, and nobody would notice! It hurt, it hurt-" Hic! "S-S-So much, I couldn't take it!" Her small hands covered her mouth as she lost the ability to speak - loud, wailing cried ripping free of her throat, her sad blue yes shutting tightly and her body curling in on itself.

I moved over to her, pulling her into my arms and let her cry. My own tears were rolling down my cheeks, but more slowly than her waterfall of watery sadness. We sat like that for a whole 15 minutes, just hugging and crying.

By that point Sayori's tears had stopped, and she'd grabbed a tissue box for us to use. We wiped our eyes, blew our noses, and threw what we used in her bin. Slowly, hesitantly, our eyes locked. She smiled bitter-sweetly. "Thank you, Aery..." I gave her the bittersweet one she gave me before asking, "Why?" To be honest, I think I knew why. I just wanted to hear her say it.

"You... You showed me that people do care... And you proved that I really can feel my own happiness." She giggled a little, the sound beautifully sad, but genuine. "So, for that... Thank you."

I pulled her into another hug, squeezing her tightly before letting go and holding her shoulders. My smile was a happy one now - happy and proud, now that I'd stopped her from making the biggest mistake of her life. "You're welcome, Sayori."

After that, I helped her get ready for school. I waited for her downstairs to have a shower, helped her clean up her room, make her breakfast, and we were about to leave when something seemed to occur to Sayori. "Oh, dammit! I'm going to need to change my poem..."

"Hm? Why's that?"

"Well, um... You'll see. Be back in a sec!" She quickly sprinted upstairs, and was back a minute later shoving a folded piece of paper into her pocket. "OK, all set!"

"Right!" And with that, we set off.

By the time we got there, the other'd had already arrived, and looked pretty worried. We'd gotten there later than expected, and it just occurred to me now that I'd left my phone at home. The three of the seemed so relieved to see us, though I swear Monika looked surprised too?

Must be because we were late.

With Sayori's permission, I told them about what happened, and almost instantly they were strangling her with love and hugs. Yuri had taken to lightly petting her head and humming a soft song, Natsuki had practically shoved a cupcake down her throat, and Monika was rambling on and on about how she should've done more, she should've seen the signs.

She seemed so happy. More happy than she had been in a while. These three girls, who she thought didn't care about her in the slightest, were fawning over her and trying to make her happy. It was beautiful.

The rest of the day was amazing. Sayori was able to make a last minute change to her poem, which we were all happy for once we'd seen it. And we did better at the festival than we thought. The mood was perfect, allowing us to feel more comfortable with the reading, thanks to me and Yuri - though mainly Yuri. The cupcakes divine, drawing in a lot of people and enticing them to stay, thanks to Natsuki. And because of the advertising by Monika and Sayori, people came, were impressed and even gave it a shot! We actually gained 3 new club members! It's not a lot, but it was better than we expected.

We'd all decided to go over to Sayori's house afterwards, to stay the night to celebrate and just have a bit of fun. They tried getting it set up in my house, but I outright refused to let anyone else in until I'd cleaned it after my tirade this morning. Natsuki struggled to make it happen, but was successful in the end. We ended up telling stories, doing silly writing challenges, and in the end we watched some cute movie Sayori and Natsuki wanted to watch.

I remember waking up in the morning on Sayori's couch, with Yuri on one side and Monika on the other, both with their heads on my shoulder. On the floor and curled up in a mass of pillows, teddies and blankets was Natsuki and Sayori - Natsuki being cuddled from behind by Sayori. And the best part is...

Sayori had a smile on her face.


End file.
